GalleryWorld Beard Championships

Mon 4 Nov 2013, 11:29 AM AEDT

American Aarne Bielefeldt won first place in the 'full beard freestyle' category.

Reuters: Michaela Rehle

This year's championships were the 11th since the first official competition was held in Hofen/Enz, a Black Forest village in 1990. Some Italian delegates dispute this however, saying the first championships occurred in northern Italy in the 1970s.

Reuters: Michaela Rehle

Delicate work: Felix Hammoser uses a toothbrush to style his beard before competition.

AFP: Franziska Kraufmann

Contestants are subjected to intense scrutiny from a panel of judges. According to the official rules, each judge awards a contestant a score from 5 to 10 points and they can only award a score of 10, 9.5 and 9 to one contestant in each category.

Reuters: Michaela Rehle

This curly effort from Dieter Besuch won the 'partial beard freestyle' category.

AFP: Franziska Kraufmann

It wasn't all about huge beards; Juhana Helmenkalastaja competed in the 'Moustache English' category.

AFP: Franziska Kraufmann

Elmar Weisser competes in the 'full beard freestyle' category.

AFP: Franziska Kraufmann

Hundreds of hirsute men gathered in Germany over the weekend to face off in the World Beard and Moustache Championships. Competitors from the USA outshone their hairy rivals, taking nine trophies home from Leinfelden-Echterdingen, near Stuttgart. The competition was played out in 18 separate categories that are defined by the Association of German Beard Clubs.